A long border crossing to get into Uzbekistan, 5 hours and what started off as a warm afternoon was getting just a bit chilly in the evening . Fortunately custom officials allowed us to go and get coats from the truck but would we get through before their technical break at 7pm?
Uzbekistan, here for 9 nights, central Asia capital of culture with the big 3 cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva with amazing architecture on our agenda.
Starting out in Tashkent (meaning city of stone), this modern capital city is a blend of old and new, the elaborately decorated metro system made it easy to get around the city but no pictures allowed as this was originally designed as a nuclear shelter.
I just had to go in search of The old town which runs from the Chorsu Bazaar, a maze of alleys with low houses and entrances that conceal garden courtyards. The bazaar itself sold all sorts of wares including socks and spices and pomegranates.
Khast Imom complex is the religious centre with mosque, medressas (now souvenir shops) and a museum housing the oldest Quran in the world.
Medressah Kukeldash is one of central Asia's largest Medressahs next to Chorsu Square.
The new town centres around Timur public square with broad tree lined roads and a statue of Amir Temur sitting on his stallion.
Plenty of Plov on offer with a visit to the Central Asian Plov centre for lunch. This is a national dish of rice, vegetables, chickpeas and meat swimming in mutton fat/oil. Not good for the diet but very tasty! Served with non/Lepyoshka (bread) and salad of tomatoes, cucumber, onion and dill.
Cotton is cultivated and saw many cotton pickers working the fields on our travels toward samarkand Soviet irrigation systems are interesting with water channels dug in the ground to divert water to the fields
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